Kids Who Are Changing the World: A Book from the Goodplanet Foundation

Kids all around the world are doing something every day to change the world. Here are the stories of 45 of them.

Whether it's in United States or Canada, Russia or Australia, China or Argentina, there are young people working hard to make the world a better place. They are schoolgirls trying to save the last bogs and wild pods in Hungary. Schoolboys trying to preserve marine biology in Madagascar or plant trees to reverse the effects of climate change. The 45 young heroes featured in this book have discovered issues that concerned them and they they did something about it.

With skills ranging from singing, drawing, and painting to fund-raising, public demonstrations, and events, these are the stories of individuals who have fought climate change and pollution, and worked to protect animals and their natural habitats. While the stories alone are compelling, they are also accompanied by stunning and dynamic photographs from Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

This inspiring and powerful book includes reference materials and suggestions on how you can get involved and become an environmental hero, too!

Praise for Kids Who Are Changing the World

"This is a very inspiring non-fiction book... it shares stories about young people who are doing incredible things to make the environment a better place." ― San Francisco Book Review

"It's impressive to see the variety of kids that author Anne Jankeliowitch features: children ― some still in grade school, some in non-traditional learning environments ― who saw a need and acted upon it, proving there is no age or ability limit to make a difference... and when you add in photography by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, you've got a hopeful, optimistic winner to read." ― Bookworm Sez

Gr 3–6—This slim but powerful volume profiles 45 young environmental activists who have initiated projects that are changing the world. Tween and teen activists ages nine through 16 and from countries around the world are featured, with a balance of gender, age, and ethnicity. Each two-to-four page profile includes an attention-grabbing tagline, biographical information, a one-line objective, a captioned photograph (typically a landscape), and a section in which the activist responds to prompts such as "My Advice" and "What I Am Most Proud Of." Pull-out quotations, websites, sidebars of background information, and several sections of shorter profiles complete the layout. Especially intriguing are projects that involve science (collecting water samples to help an international climate change study), the arts (painting, music, theater, and dance), and local social action (convincing one's school to replace disposable water bottles with reusable ones). The book acknowledges that some stories have multiple sides ("the pipeline and its construction will provide work for some people but…") and recognizes that sometimes success can require multiple attempts, resulting in an optimistic but well-rounded tone. Mentions of organizations large and small emphasize the power of community and will perhaps leave readers curious about how their peers were able to attend major international summits. Although the book lacks internal subdivisions, it will easily inspire readers to pursue their own environmental action projects.—Jill Ratzan, I. L. Peretz Community Jewish School, Somerset, NJ